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Difficulty
Moderate
Steps
7
Time Required
Suggest a time??
Sections
2
- Rear Panel
- 5 steps
- Hard Drive
- 2 steps
Flags
1
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BackiPod 1st Generation
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Introduction
What you need
Step 1
Rear Panel
- Before opening your iPod, ensure that the hold switch is in the locked position.
Before opening your iPod, ensure that the hold switch is in the locked position.
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Step 2
- Opening the iPod can be challenging; don’t get discouraged if it takes you a few tries to get the iPod to open.
- Insert a plastic iPod opening tool in the seam between the white plastic front and metal back of the iPod. It helps to hold the iPod at top and bottom as shown and squeeze to help pop out the edge. Once you’ve inserted the tool, run it along the seam to free the five tabs holding the iPod together.
Opening the iPod can be challenging; don’t get discouraged if it takes you a few tries to get the iPod to open.
Insert a plastic iPod opening tool in the seam between the white plastic front and metal back of the iPod. It helps to hold the iPod at top and bottom as shown and squeeze to help pop out the edge. Once you’ve inserted the tool, run it along the seam to free the five tabs holding the iPod together.
Step 3
- Continue to run the opening tool along the side of the case until all five tabs have been released.
Continue to run the opening tool along the side of the case until all five tabs have been released.
Step 4
- Work around the corner of the iPod and release the two tabs holding the iPod together near the dock connector.
Work around the corner of the iPod and release the two tabs holding the iPod together near the dock connector.
Step 5
- Free the five tabs holding the iPod together on the other side. You may be able to free the tabs by gently wiggling the front panel of the iPod.
- Lift the rear panel away from the iPod.
Free the five tabs holding the iPod together on the other side. You may be able to free the tabs by gently wiggling the front panel of the iPod.
Lift the rear panel away from the iPod.
Step 6
Hard Drive
- Lift the battery up from the adhesive holding it to the iPod.
- Lay the battery next to the iPod (it is still connected to the logic board).
Lift the battery up from the adhesive holding it to the iPod.
Lay the battery next to the iPod (it is still connected to the logic board).
Step 7
- Carefully disconnect the orange ribbon cable from the hard drive.
- If the cable doesn’t come free easily, it may be helpful to gently wiggle the cable from side to side.
- Lift the hard drive out of the iPod.
Carefully disconnect the orange ribbon cable from the hard drive.
If the cable doesn’t come free easily, it may be helpful to gently wiggle the cable from side to side.
Lift the hard drive out of the iPod.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
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iRobot
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kevin - Jun 2, 2016
Reply
Where can I get a HDD that will fit/work in this model? 1st iPod 5GB capacity. Larger capacity would be nice but not needed.
rgcastreg - Feb 14, 2017
Reply
I’d like to know the same Kevin.
David Robitaille (robitaill3) - Feb 19, 2017
Reply
Kevin. Theydon’t make hard drives for it for anymore, but they make adapters for CF card and SD cards. Of Course you can put whatever size you want in it
M Smith - Nov 16, 2017
Reply
CF adapters do not work in 1G iPods. You can find old 1.8” drives on eBay, but they must be single-platter drives. The largest I know of is 40GB.
razor353 - Apr 25, 2020
Reply
1st and maybe 2nd gen sync and charge only over firewire and need a hard drive. I tried a comact flash and a zif ssd in the format of the newer hard drives and it finds the drive, but wont format. It stops half way. The newer ipods (3rd gen and up) that sync over usb can use solid state alternatives (2nd gen is the same ipod with a bigger drive and a touch scroll wheel). If you can find a zif ssd smaller than 32gb it might work, but dont forget about the zif to 50 pin adapter.
ZIF SSD KingSpec ZF18-32
